Chapter 6 #2
Walking over to Poppy, Bennett took her hands and kissed her forehead to reassure her.
Then he calmly said in an almost pleading voice, "I am under the gun here.
Jameson wants an answer tonight. I want to do this in person.
Please understand." Bowing her head, Poppy resigned herself to the fact that her reprieve was over.
Both Taylor and Greer exchanged a look of bewilderment. They were having trouble following what was happening. It appeared that they had stepped into a family drama that did not involve them.
Wanting to get out of a sticky situation in which he felt they did not belong, Greer stood and said, "It looks like you have some family issues to discuss. We'll kiss Rosie good night and get out of your hair."
Rising to accompany him, Taylor added, "Thank you both for a wonderful dinner. It was nice to visit and catch up and…"
Whatever she was about to say next was cut off by Bennett saying, "No, this involves you as well. Please sit back down. I need to tell you something, and I am sorry for the timing. I hope it does not ruin what has been a really nice visit."
"Oh, that sounds ominous," replied Greer.
"It is," replied Poppy before she could stop herself. Poppy and Greer exchanged a look while Bennett shot her a look of frustration. Poppy shrugged but did not respond.
Taking a deep breath and then blowing it out as he began formulating his words, Bennett blurted out, “You know how I won that big case." Of course, they did. Greer and Taylor had both congratulated him on it earlier in the day. "Well, the publicity from that case has garnered some interest."
"Interest? What kind of interest?" asked Greer, struggling to see how Bennett's case had anything to do with them.
"Interest from Jameson Williams.” He said this, looking directly at Taylor. If anyone in the room would get that, it would be her.
"Jameson Williams, as in the political fat cat committee chairman, Jameson Williams?" Taylor asked.
Bennett nodded.
"Why is he interested in you? I mean, you are not a politician anymore.
" Looking at him, it clicked. She knew that look.
The look he only got when he was about to start a new campaign.
"Oh no, you are not thinking about running again, are you?
I thought all of that was behind you. Behind all of us.
" The look of fear on Taylor's face was almost enough to make him back out before he even told her everything. Almost, but not entirely.
"I did. I have, but with the win and the changes in the world, Jameson thinks I could make a run for the governorship and win."
"Who the hell is Jameson? And why the hell are we even discussing this?" Greer bellowed. "We are all not going through that again. Once was enough for a lifetime."
"I thought so, too, until a few days ago. But after talking to Jameson, I think I have a real shot at this thing," replied Bennett.
"But how? The minute you announce, reporters will be all over it again," replied Taylor. A decade as a politician's wife had taught her all she needed to know about the media and how the game was played.
"Jameson has a plan for that," replied Bennett.
Very quickly and succinctly, he recounted to them basically what he had explained to Poppy the night before.
He detailed how they would control the narrative by doing a story for a local glossy magazine.
It would be a story of family, love, and acceptance. "
He rattled on for almost ten minutes, and no one said anything.
He closed by telling them that Poppy had already agreed.
So, it was ultimately up to Ben and Taylor.
He again promised that he would not pursue the opportunity if they said no.
By the time Bennett finished, everyone at the table sat expressionless and bewildered.
None of them ever expected this issue to come roaring back to life.
To have it done so quickly and so unexpectedly was almost too much to take in.
"Well," said Bennett, running his hands through his hair frustratedly, "somebody say something."
Ben was the first to speak. Getting up and going over to his father, he hugged him and said, "Dad, there is not a better man in the whole state better suited to be the next governor.
If Mom is good with it, I am good with it.
Ella and I totally support you. Right, Ella?
" Ben asked, turning toward his girlfriend.
Nodding, Ella enthusiastically responded, "Yes, of course.
I support whatever Ben feels comfortable with.
" Honestly, Ella was not so sure she completely understood all the ramifications of Ben's dad making a run for office or how Ben and her issues might play into that.
But Ben had her back from the day she showed up at his apartment, overcome with morning sickness and fear.
From the get-go, he had supported her, so if this was something he was good with, so was she.
The look of relief and joy that covered Bennett's face was palatable.
Looking over at Taylor, he said, "That just leaves you. Can you do this? I know it will require you to share things you would rather forget. If you say no, I won't do it."
Without missing a beat, Greer said, "That's easy. The answer is no."
Everyone turned and stared at him.
"What? There is no way I am letting you and Rosie go through all of that again just so this pretty boy Ken doll can have another shot at ruling the world," replied Greer, looking directly at Taylor.
"Greer!" snapped Taylor. "Apologize right now." It was the first time in a decade that Greer had referred to Bennett as a pretty boy Ken doll. It went down now, about as well as it had back then.
"Pretty boy Ken doll? Really, we are back to that?" quipped Bennett, giving Greer a sneer. "With all due respect, this is not your decision. It is Taylor's. This is her story. I want to hear what she has to say."
Without missing a beat, Greer replied, "Trust me.
Her answer is no. And as for me calling you a pretty boy, that is what you are when you start pulling crap like this that only benefits you and puts the people I love most in the world at risk.
Only a self-absorbed, petty asshole would do that.
Wasn't going through that once enough?" asked Greer.
Then, looking over to Taylor, he said, "Let's give Rosie a goodnight kiss and get out of here before I say or do something that you will really regret. "
Sighing deeply, Taylor nodded. Reaching to touch his arm, she said, "Fine, we will go, but please calm down. We will talk about this in the car."
Shaking his head, Greer responded, "Already talked about it.
Discussion is closed." With that, he stood up and headed out of the room.
He only paused long enough to turn back and address the others in the room independently.
"Poppy, dinner was wonderful. Thank you for a delicious meal.
Ben, it was great to see you again. Good luck this last semester.
Ella, it was nice to meet you." Looking directly at Bennett, he added coolly, "Hear me clearly, there is no way that I am going to let Taylor do this.
Not now. Not ever." Then he left the room, yelling for Rosie.
Shaking her head from equal parts embarrassment from how rudely Greer acted and shock that this situation was back at the forefront of her life, Taylor said, "I am sorry.
He does not handle surprises well. And he is very protective of Rosie and me.
Let me talk to him. I will text you if anything changes.
" With that, Taylor got up, hugged everyone, thanked them for the dinner, and left to say goodnight to Rosie.
On the ride to Edna’s, both Greer and Taylor were very quiet.
Greer spent the short ride back to Edna's, gripping the steering wheel with a death grip.
Taylor quietly stared out the window, desperately trying to think of a way to restart the conversation without a huge ordeal or ending up in a massive fight.
Just as they were about to turn into Edna's subdivision, Taylor reached over, stroked Greer's arm, and said, "Can we drive around town for a few minutes? I want to show you something."
Giving her a quizzical look, Greer asked, "What are you up to?"
Reaching over and snuggling him, she replied, "Nothing. I missed the lights around town and want to show them to you. Can we head toward downtown? It has been a long time since I have seen them."
Never able to tell her no, Greer bypassed the turn into his aunt's house and steered the car toward the center of town. They stopped off at Stu’s Brew to get a couple of hot chocolates.
The Joyful food truck was there as well.
Even though they were full, they picked up several delicious macarons as a gift for Aunt Edna for hosting them.
Then, they resumed their ride around town to look at the lights.
Once at Berryhill Park, they drove in companionable silence, enjoying the lights.
From there, they rode to Spring Park and drove around the downtown court square with several large light displays.
They finished their tour with a drive through the local university campus.
The light displays all across the town had the effect on Greer that Taylor was hoping for.
Gone was the grumpy, angry man earlier. In his place was a calmer, more relaxed man.
As they headed back to Edna's house, Taylor quietly said, "You know that I am going to do that interview. Right? After all, I owe him. Bennett has done so much for me over the years, and I need to do this for him."
Instantly, Greer's ire returned, "No, you are not. You don't owe him a damn thing."
Calmly, Taylor said, "Yes, I do. Thanks to him, we had a chance. If he had not done what he did ten years ago, our lives and Rosie's would have been much more difficult. He gave up everything for Poppy, Ben, and us. And, truthfully, he was the least at fault of all of us."
"Least guilty?" Greer roared as he pulled the car into Edna's drive. "Have you forgotten his little escapade at the art show that started all this?"
Unbuckling her seat belt, Taylor reached over and wrapped her arms around Greer. "No, of course not. But should a person be forever held responsible for five minutes of carelessness in a lifetime of goodness?"
Pulling her closer, Greer asked incredulously, "How can you be okay with opening this Pandora's box from the past? And this time, all of the crap will come out. Everything about you, me, Poppy, plus all their history. How can any of that do anyone any good?"
"Honestly, I think some of those secrets have been held for way too long.
It is long past time for the truth to come to light.
Besides, I am not embarrassed by our story or how we came together.
All the people I care about already know it all, anyway.
By sharing the story this way, we can take some of the mystique out of it.
If that helps Bennett get his life back, it is worth it.
All he has ever done is put others first. This is a chance for us to open a door to the past. Air out the truth and truly put it all behind us. "
Turning her face so he could look deeply into her eyes, he earnestly asked, "Are you sure this is something you want to do?"
Taylor replied, "Yes, I know in my heart the time is right to address it publicly and then move on."
He closed his eyes and shook his head, resigning himself to the fact that, once again, he could not deny her anything she wanted.
"Fine,” he said, “if this is what you want to do, I support you.
" Then, he opened his eyes and added, "But at any moment, you change your mind.
I have no problem ending the interview and calling a halt to all of it. "
Reaching to give him a sweet kiss, she replied, "Of course you wouldn't, my knight in shining armor."
Accepting the inevitable, he asked a final question, "So when are you planning on doing this interview? We are supposed to go home tomorrow."
"I will text Bennett that if he can arrange the interview for tomorrow, I will do it in person.
Otherwise, it will have to be done over Zoom.
If he can arrange it, you could take the girls to that movie Lizzy and Lola talked about tomorrow at the Rialto.
It should not take too long, maybe a couple of hours.
You like to get on the road early, but in the worst-case scenario, we could be headed home by 3:00.
If we have to stop and spend the night on the way home, so be it. "
Giving her a quick kiss and nodding his agreement, Greer said, "Okay, sounds like a plan. Text pretty boy and see what he says." Then, releasing Taylor, he unbuckled and reached for the door, saying, "Let's go in before Edna comes out to see if we are making out in the car."
"As if," replied Taylor. “We are going to do that in her frilly floral guest room in one of her tiny twin beds!"
"Well, in that case, Mrs. Stone, get a move on. Floral decor never sounded so sexy."
Once inside, Greer took a quick shower while Taylor texted Bennett and asked if he could arrange the interview for the next morning by 11:00 while the girls were at the movie. He immediately texted back he could and thanked her profusely.
Even though Bennett had no idea how Taylor had persuaded Greer to let her do the interview, he was very grateful she had.
He immediately texted Jameson, who said the reporter would be at the house by 11:00 the next day.
Everything was coming together so quickly.
Almost as quickly as it had all fallen apart ten years before.